Flor de la Mar means Flower of the Sea in Portuguese was a 400-ton sailing ship that sank off the coast of Sumatra in November 1511. Its replica of 34 metres tall, 36 metres long and 8 metres wide, is now the main exhibit of the Maritime Museum in Melaka. In Bahasa Malaysia, it translates to Muzium Samudera.

The Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad officially opened the Maritime Museum to public on 13 June 1994. It highlights Melaka's importance in the international trading route from the era of the Melaka Sultanate through the Portuguese, Dutch and British era.

Displays include documents and artifacts from the Melaka Sultanate, Portuguese, Dutch and British occupancy. There are also collections of different types of model trading ships and books on Melaka’s rich history and local legends.

A spiral staircase takes a large space of Flor de la Mar interior. Lower level of the deck is a collection of porcelain, spices and textile brought in by traders from China and India back in those days as well as beautiful paintings illustrating Melaka as an important port. The captain’s cabin is on the upper deck.